Yep I do agree an A4 would be so much better, and the fact that Adidas should really hire you (so that we can finally get that A4) Facts aside, 88D isn't a head light racquet, it had around 36.5gm dry headweight in a 81gm dry total weight, which would make the BP approx around 305ish. The A3 on the other has around 36.5gm of headweight on a 84ish total weight so the BP would be approx 293. As you can see that the BP wise 88D is head heavier than the A3 but due to the same head weight it almost feels the same, infact A3 is much faster than the 88d due to all these reasons and packs almost the same amount of punch(PS more testing is required in this regard) Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
If your mind can look around that price(much better if it's cheaper at your place) then go for the P8, recommended by the two leading reviewers in BC @speCulatius @s_mair. And I don't think you could go wrong with it. Meanwhile my heart in talks with my mind Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
The P8 2020 is cheaper here in VN at around $140 now for the pink variant. P7 is also around $20 lower. Cheaper than the 100ZZ which is as high as $160. A big gap considering the pricing in your country I must say! Maybe you can get it in VN and have delivered to you? Haha
Stilistin W3.1 Today I was able to test the Stilistin W3.1 I was loaned by Adidas/Specialist Sports. The other Adidas rackets I bought and have for testing are with my stringer so I will review those separately. I chose to leave the factory string in the Stilistin W3.1, due to the initial feel and the spec I thought the racket would not be one to suit me well. The racket has the original grip, plastic wrap and a pros pro g tacky overgrip As previously my comparisons are mostly related to Victor rackets. I have used Victors predominantly for around 12 years so I relate to those rackets best. Balance/flex oxooooo ooooxoo Actual Weight/Head Weight 90.9/39.5g The racket came in a sack type bag, similar to the Spieler range. I like these bags although they won't suit some people who prefer a typical thermo type cover. The mainly pink colour scheme looks great but i expect its mainly aimed at lady players. I'm happy to use any colour racket if the spec suits me. The racket has a sword type frame similar to the Victor Brave Sword range or Apacs Virtuoso Performance although the racket also has a twist in the frame at the mid points on each side of the head, this is a little reminiscent of the Carlton Kinesis range which I have used in the past. The flex of the racket is noticeable from the start and not my favoured spec but it didnt stop me hitting the sweet spot the vast majority of the time. The racket was fast like a brave sword 12 and I would compare the flex to that racket too. The balance was a little more towards the head than a BS12. I was able to react quickly in defense but sometimes mis timed due to the shaft still flexing slightly. This is why I prefer stiff shafts and not head heavy balance. Others who prefer more flex will really enjoy this racket. I enjoyed testing the racket, its definately not going to be a match racket and not something I'm looking to buy after my test period but its another great quality racket from the Adidas range. If you want a lightweight, flexible mid to head heavy balanced racket, then i suggest you try the W3.1.
Wow, Adidas must be really playing with India then, here its around almost the double 230$usd Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Okay, 88D and A3 are two very different racquets in respect to balance and feel. A3 is definitely an even balance 4U. I could just feel the headweight at the T joint while swinging. Lot of mishits in my play as the swing is too fast. More testing incoming. Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Tensioned by hand for better feeling. No machine needed. Seriously I can't stop thinking about the poor people who have to string hundreds/thousands of rackets like this. Probably knowing that the job gets cut right away after delivery...
I have a quick question. Recently, I checked out a favorite shop of mine to see if they have P7 or P8 in stock. They remarked that the P7 or P8 is overpriced and is not as good as the other rackets at the same price range. Wondering if that’s the case where you guys are.
P8 is overpriced, they got that right that, but not as good as other (every other shopkeeper does this right) Maybe you are new here on BC, (the reason why we all joined BC) you should learn from BC, from all those reviews, members keep on giving and then trying to understand how the racquet might feel and make a decision yourself or may be if it's possible in your area then go demo the racquet to confirm that decision; instead of listening to those idiotic retailers (most probably he is pushing other stuff on you is due to the better cut he gets from selling cheaper ones, than the already overpriced P8, as he can't raise the price enough as it is already overpriced and then no one would buy it) My stringer whenever I go, keeps on pushing Babolat (sub50$ stuff) on me, when I do know that Yonex Li Ning Adidas and even Victor are better brands. But do I fall for his bullshit, hell not. Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
You'd be surprised with the number of people who use stock strings without changing anything. It's unimaginable to people like us but for those recreational players, it's completely fine because they can hit the shuttle over the net.
I can answer this. It is definitely overhyped. Vietnam market (and reviews too) is ruined with florid words like "super hot", "legendary", "precious sword"... Rackets used by top pros are overpriced too. Rackets like 9000c, 7000i, Mizuno used by Ahsan, Setiawan, Okuhara... Already told you, your favorite Youtuber has flaw in his information (PM me if you want to discuss ). But he was successful in making hype over the P8. If it is so good as he said, why would he give up on it in a give-away event? Looking at the price, you can go for ZFII. It is super cheap ever, only £74.
The main reason is simple: Most of them just don't know anything about the importance of strings in the whole picture or they don't care. I made it a mission for myself to spread the word and some basic string knowledge amongst the recreational players. They mostly only need to experience the difference first hand to be enlightened.
True, but in my experience this kind of player won't pay more then 50$/€ for a racket. And if they do they probably don't mind the extra price for the strings. most shops offer reduced prices for a stringjob if you buy a new racket anyway.
Haha, when I started playing I used to string with BG65 because that was the only string my stringer had and played with it until it broke. Right now I can't even imagine, how I used to play with it. Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
What's the same price range? RRP of the P8 here is 210€, I've seen it selling around 160€. That's expensive, but in the same region like high end Yonex, Li Ning, and even Babolat rackets get towards that region. Quality wise, that's all top notch, so it's a matter of what suits you. The P7 and P8 have some features that actually make sense to me. The compact head combined with an aerodynamic frame makes sense to me. The bulges are supposed to increase dynamic stiffness of the head and overall, it is a very solid platform. Yeah? You can definitely answer that? Have you ever played with a P8? If not, don't make statements like that and even if you've tried it, don't, because for somebody else it might be the perfect racket. I was hoping for a more stable X-Feel Blast and that's pretty much exactly what got. Getting a ZFII for 74£ (80 to 85€) is insanely cheap! The RRP in Germany is around 210€ as well. On top of that, the ZFII and P8 are very different rackets. The P8 is closer to the Z-Strike, but without the "I cannot decide which frame type I want" thingy. And if you look at it from a different perspective, the price for carbon is around 30€ per 1000 kg? Why would you pay even 74£ for 0.09 kg of that?
